Police Jump - older ROM version with DK look!

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MADrigal
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Police Jump - older ROM version with DK look!

Post by MADrigal » Sat Jun 30, 2012 12:43 pm

Not sure if everyone noticed the big news on the Creativemu website these days.

I recently put my hands on a lot of carts, one of which is Police Jump.

I tested all games as I usually do when I buy new carts, and was shocked to see that the Police Jump cart was different to the "usual" cart I played so many times.

The bad dude (the name is "Dangerous Dan") wore a brown cloth instead of the usual white one. The shape was also different: Dan was much fatter and shorter than the other (white) version.

I watched at the cartridge box and joystick overlays too, and the same graphics for Dan appeared there too: both on the screenshot on the back of the box, and on the overlays too. Also the manual had the same picture, but that didn't seem new to me, since the manual had never changed (the same manual is available both on the newly discovered cart, and in all other "later" releases).

I then opened the cartridge, and look carefully at the 2 EPROM's that were inside. They have two small "window" (used to erase the content via UV rays) which are covered by the usual small white stickers by the manufacturer (to prevent UV rays intrusion).

Well the two stickers didn't read "PJ A" and "PJ B", but.... "DK A" and "DK B". Really odd isn't this? :-)

Also the PCB is not like toe one I found in most of my carts. It's a peculiar model (AW700306B) which I found on very old carts only.

In the end this is what I suppose (99,9% sure of this):

1. this cart belongs to a very very early batch of the Police Jump carts
2. the game was intentionally released as "VTech's version of Donkey Kong"
3. probably Nintendo sued VTech for designing such a similar game to theirs
4. all the "DK-looking" carts were retired from market, but a few of them were sold already
5. VTech changed the game graphics and re-released the game with a "white and tall" version of Dangerous Dan
6. they didn't change the graphics in the game only, but also on game box and overlays. They left the manual as it originally was (with fat Dangerous Dan).

This is probably a verty close story to wha happened when VTech releaed the "Crazy Pucker" game, which was then re-released as "Crazy Chicky" with the same gameplay, but different graphics.

I would like to read your comments to this story :-)

Luca
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Re: Police Jump - older ROM version with DK look!

Post by Harmik » Mon Jul 02, 2012 1:14 pm

Awesome thanks :)
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MADrigal
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Re: Police Jump - older ROM version with DK look!

Post by MADrigal » Tue Jul 03, 2012 6:32 am

Screenshots of both versions of PJ are on the "News" page of the Creativemu website: http://www.madrigaldesign.it/creativemu/
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